tigra

It truly is a beautiful place to skydive, and there are some additional costs associated with jumping there. (And no, I am not affilliated with the DZ in any way.......) When I was there a few years ago, there was no boogie fee but also no additional organized events like the booze cruise. The jumps were also a little bit less expensive but the cost of fuel is higher now. And they probably still have to pay off the taxi mafia for every load they take to the airport. Those guys literally would not let the bus leave Carlos and Charlies before they were paid off. Anyway, you could offset the boogie fee and expensive jumps by staying in nearby Zihua instead of one of the resorts in Ixtapa.

I wouldn't say my iPod has been "flawless" but I haven't had any major issues, and I find iTunes almost too easy to use. I've got a Nano and a 30gb which I bought after I filled my Nano up. I still like the Nano for working out, just because of the size. I will say their support site pretty much sucks and doesn't really address the "won't turn off" issues that come up from time to time. Generally the solution for that is to let the battery completley die down, then try again.

Define old. I know people in their late 50s, early 60s still toking with no plans to stop.

I've never had a flu shot and I rarely get sick. I was feeling a little run down with a cold over Christmas but that's more from not getting enough rest, etc. As someone else said, I am also not in a particular demographic that puts me at a greater risk if I do catch the flu.

Jaye, Just be firm, read everything and stick with what you really want and can afford. If this place can't do that for you, walk away and find another place that can. If they want your business, they will work with you. If not, there's always another Kung Fu studio that will. maura

I loved all of the Bourne books which is why I HATE the movies. They took one major element of Jason Bourne's character and completely twisted it. I'm sure the films are good action films, but the books have so much more to offer.

Hey, its your term, not mine. I assumed you meant being "passed around" which is normally a pretty easy situation to avoid.

Yeah, I've also had some problems with Ballys over the years and because of them, I will never sign another long term contract or agree to auto debiting with them or pretty much anyone else. Of course, instead of actually reading the contract, I believed what I was told and signed on the bottom line. When I started having issues, I pulled out the original contract and sure enough, there it was and there was my signature...... They lied, but I'm the one who didn't read the contract I signed, and I wasn't 15 either! Anyway, I took my lumps early on in my membership and learned my lesson on how to deal with them. Now they bill me and I pay them once a year, no more monthly auto debits. My trainer tried to get me to sign a long term contract for personal training sessions but backed off and lets me pay for a few sessions at a time, in cash as I can afford them. Smart kid- he knows how to hang on to his clients! Also, I'm not sure how it is where you live, but in the Chicago area, there are tons of Ballys locations and they range from kind of small and dumpy (like the one closest to my house) to really nice like the one near my office. With so many locations, its incredibly convenient. Plus, I can't even join the YMCA for what I am paying at Ballys now, and that's for only the one YMCA near my house. I think most of the health clubs do the high pressure sales, long term contracts and auto debits. You've just got to read the contracts carefully and be really insistent about what you want. If they want your business, they'll work with you.

I've had a Ballys membership since 1990, and being young and dumb at the time, I let them sell me their most expensive premier membership that lets me go to any Ballys location, any time. I paid a small fortune for it then, went several years of barely using the gym at all and almost cancelled my membership more than once. But now my dues are relatively cheap and the location near my office is great- pretty much full service, including a pool and sauna, a decent class schedule and a ton of trainers available. Needless to say, with my newfound healthy and fit lifestyle , I'm glad I held on to the membership. Its great that you have the discipline to workout at home - I am very very bad about that! I've got the dvds, yoga mat, balance ball, dumbells, resistance bands, etc., but I almost never use them. I even bought those "push up pros" before Christmas, and I've used them all of 3 times! Anyway, my workout schedule is back on track but my diet- not so much- and the scale is not moving in the right direction. I don't LIKE dieting, counting calories, counting carbs, fat grams or anything else but if I want to lose that holiday weight plus get back on track for the rest of the weight I want to lose, I'm probably going to have to do something along those lines.......

I'm finding the show oddly compelling. You want to write it off as another "surreal life" since most of these "celebrities" are has beens who have already appeared on that show or something similar. But then you have Jeff Conway who is in such pathetically bad shape. And Daniel Baldwin - douche or not - is the only one who actually showed up to rehab sober and ready to work to stay that way.

Its really simple and not limited to skydivers or the dz lifestyle. If you don't want to be treated like a "football", don't act like one.

I don't know what makes me mean- maybe vodka. The last time I got drunk on vodka, I was pretty obnoxious or really really funny depending on who you ask........ Tequila has been known to make me dance on bars, among other things .............. I like a wine buzz the best though. Usually it just makes me feel mellow and happy.

I think my new favorite comedy is Rock of Love ..... that's supposed to be a comedy, right? I didn't pay much attention last season, but the first episode this season had me laughing my ass off! And I found the first episode of Celebrity Rehab to be oddly compelling- The Surreal Life meets 28 Days ...... If Jeff Conway wasn't so completely pathetic and f'ed up, it would almost be funny as well ..............

Did you cut and paste that from the women's forum??

Your children still have a father, correct? Where is he and why isn't he helping? He should want to spend time with his kids and he should want you to become more self sufficient and independent. I think you are ranting against the wrong people, but that's just my opinion.

That was the exit for my third tandem and I nearly didn't let go. I still laugh about it. I mean really, its crazy, right? Hanging on to the side of a plane at 13K, staring at the prop? What's even crazier is not realizing until my third jump that it WAS crazy! And still going back for more...............

Abused and afraid or not, the mother did nothing for 4 months while her child was abused right under her nose. She should be facing criminal charges as well.

My second "incident" was at the end of one of Scott Miller's canopy control classes, but I actually blame that one on my over 40 eyes, late afternoon light and poor depth perception. I had a perfect flare just a little too high........ No more sunset loads for me, and night jumps are out of the question.

I've had spinals for all but one of my ankle surgeries*- I don't remember much of anything aside from shocking the hell out of my doctor by asking for the hardware in the middle of one of them. Gotta love versed...... *two tib/fibs 5 years apart- hardware in and hardware out. I've also had issues with my flare in the past......

I think some orthos are of the opinion that since the fibula isn't a major weight bearing bone, it doesn't matter how well it heals. Last time I broke myself, I found a website- mybrokenleg.com - I was amazed at how many people had fibula fratures that essentially were left untreated.

No one WAS nasty. We were commenting about the extra people at the gym. That's all. No one said anything about being nasty to them except you. January is an amusing and/or somewhat challenging month to be at the gym during peak hours. I freely admit that not all that long ago that I WAS one of those "newsyearsresolutioners" with good intentions that lasted all of 3 weeks. And like I said, working out with a buddy looks like a great idea on paper and actually works for some people but not for everyone. There are drawbacks. Don't get too dependent on that workout partner. Its too easy to lose your own motivation when he (or she) loses his. I've actually met some really nice people at my gym but that's not why I go there.

Possibly- he was really obsessed with this one particular fish. He paid no attention to the rest of the fish in the tank.

My best workout "partner" is my iPod, unless you include my trainer and the woman who teaches the group classes I enjoy so much, and they get paid to be there. I agree that it can be nice to go to the gym with someone but when a friend and I were trying to motivate each other, we tended to have the opposite affect. If she couldn't go, I wouldn't go and vice versa. If we drove together, we'd stop whenever one of us was done, even if the other one wanted to stay and do more. And just because I've commented on the extra crowds at the gym, please don't assume I need a lecture on how to be nice. The fact is, January at any health club pretty much sucks, especially at the peak hours and during the more popular classes. Besides, most of those new faces will be history by February. More power to them if they aren't.

We normally keep the lid closed but one night last week I busted my cat doing that. He had a full water bowl with fresh water. (we have one of those fountain things and had just cleaned it out.) And he isn't the cat in my house that is fascinated by water. BUT, his favorite fish (one he'd spend hours staring and jumping at) had just been "laid to rest" there and I think he was just paying his last respects.

No Zumba, but my Latin cardio dance class started back up this week. I really missed that class- its a ton of fun. the scale isn't budging, but I'm getting back into my routine which is good. I worked out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and last night. I couldn't make myself get up and go to the gym this morning and I have tentative plans for tonight, but Monday thru Thursday is OK. I'll try to get in at least one workout this weekend! Is anyone else enjoying the January crowds at the gym?